Church Music

This is more liturgically useful music from Patricia Smith at the As One Voice Digital shop at Willow Publishing.

This is for the Sprinkling Rite at Easter Vigil and uses a text from Ezekiel 47.

I saw water flowing from the Temple, from its right hand side, alleluia;

And all to whom this water came were saved and shall say:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

© 2016 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

Using the same chords she also wrote a piece as a response to the Blessing of Baptismal Water at the Vigil that can double up as a descant to the Sprinkling Rite.

Springs of water, bless the Lord; praise and exult him.

Springs of water, bless the Lord; praise and exult him above all forever.

© 2016 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

Both pieces are sold in the one lot at Willow. There is also a snippet of the music to listen to there.

This is meant to be a trawl through the digital archive at Willow but for some reason, having sorted things alphabetically, I’m getting a lot of Patrica Smith in a row.

This is from John 15:4-17 and has some competition as a setting, but stands up well with a gentle, memorable and singable tune.

The sheet music is at Willow, but I couldn’t get a grasp on what her arrangement was. I decided to do 2 verses then the chorus and 2 verses and the chorus again. Once again note how she adds nothing more than necessary to the text and keeps things simple enough for all ages.

As usual there is nothing to listen to at Willow to get an idea what the songwriter had in mind. That said, you can at least sing along to my BIAB backing to learn it, then do the best way that suits you.

1 I give you a new commandment,

To love each other as I love you.

To give your life for one another

Is to love as I have loved you.

2 You did not choose me, no, you were chosen

To be my presence in all the world.

To bear great fruit that lasts forever,

You must love as I have loved you

Chorus

You will abide in me, abide in me,

Abide in me, and I will abide in you.

3 You are my friends, you are disciples.

Take up you cross now, and follow me.

Be one with me in heart and spirit,

And love as I have loved you.

4 All you who love me, keep my commandments,

And love will fill you, my kingdom come.

You will have life in all its fullness,

If you love as I have loved you.

Chorus

Abide in me.

© 2021 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

This year we will be playing Friday and the Vigil with another group doing Thursday and Sunday. Last year’s post covered most of the territory.

Our priest has asked for Good Friday to be low key and quiet. We can enter and leave in silence and just play softly for Veneration and Communion.

“Behold the Wood” by Dan Schutte with his “Holy Darkness” if needed will be good for Veneration. “Jesus Remember Me” (Berthier) will cover quiet music for Communion.

For Vigil we use Tony Alonso’s Exsultet. This is now at GIA.

Here we use three psalms in the readings and we will sing the responses using Amanda McKenna’s settings.

Psalm 32

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord,

The goodness of the Lord.

Psalm 15

Keep me safe O God; you are my hope.

Keep me safe O God; you are my hope.

Exodus 15

Let us sing to the Lord;

He has covered himself in glory.

Otherwise we use Taylor’s Mass of St Francis except for the Celtic Alleluia.

Sprinkling Rite: River of Glory (Schutte)

Gifts: Blessed be Our God (McKenna)

Communion: Glory in the Cross (Schutte) – Easter verses

After Communion: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Recessional: Jesus is Risen (O’Brien/Ogilvie)

This is a sung prayer by Patricia Smith for children. She covers many sorts of prayer in an accessible way.

You can buy the sheet music at Willow or go the whole hog and by the book, Don’t Just Stand There.

The break between verses is for moving around and following the leader so I left it in my backing. I know it is meant for movement and dancing but as a simple chanted prayer for adults it might be surprisingly direct and powerful.

1 Hey God! How’re you going? It’s so good to talk to you!

Hey God, help me always be your friend and follow in your ways.

2 Hey God, I’m so thankful for the things you’ve given me.

Hey God, help me always use your gifts and follow in your ways.

3 Hey God, I’m so sorry for the wrong things I’ve done.

Hey God, help me always do what’s right and follow in your ways.

4 Hey God, There’s a problem. help me know what I should do.

Hey God, help me always make good choices and follow in your ways.

5 Hey God! Thanks for listening! It’s been good to talk to you.

Hey God, help me always be your friend and follow in your ways.

© 2014 P A Smith Published by Willow Publishing.

Now we come to a gathering song from Patricia Smith in the As One Voice Digital store. It is a singable tune for any age. It could also be used for Gifts and Eucharist.

The sheet music can be purchased at Willow.

You can learn it by singing along with my BIAB backing.

Refrain

Here we gather, here we are fed, here we listen, here we are sent,

Word and Body given for us at the table of the Lord.

Word of God now spoken for us,

Bread of life now broken for us.

We believe and we become at the table of the Lord.

1 When we listen our hearts burn within us to hear the words you speak,

And you call us to know you again in the breaking of the bread.

2 As we journey through darkness and pain, you are always at our side.

Gently healing by your Word and your Body, you lead us into life.

3 In your words, Lord, we come to know you, and know your will for us.

In the Bread we share we are strengthened and sent to make your Kingdom come.

4 We receive you with open hearts, with spirits thirsting for you,

And you fill us with your gift of love, so that we are one with you.

© 2020 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing

Patricia Smith has had an awful lot of new songs published by Willow in the last few years, so my most recent trawl through the AOV digital archive has come up with a lot of her great songs.

This one is based on Matt8:19-20 and Acts 1:8 and is an urgent call to mission suitable for a recessional. I like how she leaves the text unaltered when there is nothing to improve upon.

The sheet music can be purchased at Willow.

There are nothing to listen to for this one at Willow, so you can learn it from my backing. I have no idea how Patricia meant it to sound, but this style seemed to fit.

Refrain

Go and make disciples of all nations,

Baptising in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Go and make disciples of all nations,

And tell the world the Gospel of Christ.

1 Go out to all creation, and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.

Go out to all the world, giving glory to the Lord.

2 Go out, go out in peace, to love and serve the Lord,

And know that I am with you until the end of time.

3 Go out and teach all the nations to obey the commandments of the Lord,

To love the Lord your God and your neighbour as yourself.’

4 You will be filled with power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you

And you will be my witnesses to the farthest ends of the earth.

© 2018 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

The next few songs from the digital store at Willow are all from Patricia Smith.

This is a song for Eucharist so always welcome. The repetitions make it easier to sing.

The sheet music is for sale at Willow.

There is no music to listen to, so sing along with my backing to learn it. I did jazz up her chords a little.

Refrain

When we eat this bread, when we drink this cup,

We proclaim your death until you come.

When we eat this bread, when we drink this cup,

We proclaim, O Lord, your gift of love.

1 This bread of life, which we take and eat, which we take and eat.

Is your Body given up for us, given up for us.

2 This wine of love, that we take and drink, that we take and drink.

Has become your Blood, poured out for us, poured out for us.

3 We remember, Lord, how you died for us, how you died for us,

And we give you thanks for your endless love, for your endless love.

4 You gave your life to set us free, to set us free,

By your gift of love, you gave us life, you gave us life.

5 Let our lives proclaim our love for you, our love for you.

In all we are and in all we do, and in all we do.

© 2017 P A Smith. Published by Willow Publishing.

This is a song from 2000 by Kevin Bates that I haven’t come across before. It is a simple song of thanks to God for life and family.

The sheet music to buy and a snippet to hear are at Willow.

1 For the faces I know and the family who hold me,

For the safety of home, for the joy that they bring.

Refrain

I thank my God. I thank you each day.

Your loving surrounds me each step on my way.

2 Every day that I learn how to love with a big heart

Is a chance to taste more of the joy that you bring.

3 There are times I forget how to love you and thank you.

Let me open my heart once again as I sing.

4 In my fam’ly I learn about giving and taking,

About love and forgiving and about being true.

© 2000 Kevin Bates. Published by Willow Publishing.

David MacGregor‘s songs have been a pleasant surprise in the new material from Willow.

This is song for Advent that is worth hearing, although it’s range is a a bit formidable for an assembly. The text is inspired by John 1.

The sheet music can be purchased from Willow.

I made a backing, sorry about the marimba:

1 The Word as world was waking; the Word was one with God.

All was made, created. The Word spoke and life was born.

Light for all creation. Darkness cannot reign.

Light comes to the broken; light and love to reign.

Chorus 1

You are one with us. You have come to us.

You have lived with us, O Lord.

You have died for us. Christ you rise for us.

Emmanuel, living Word.

2 Light and life is coming. The Word takes human form,

Making home among with us. In God we are reborn.

We have seen God’s glory, glory of God’s Son.

Grace and truth forever. Praise You Holy One.

Chorus 1

Chorus 2

You are one with us. You have come to us.

You have lived with us, O Lord.

You have died for us. Christ you rise for us.

Emmanuel, Living Lord.

God we come to you, God we’ll live for you.

Emmanuel, Living Word.

© 2021 David McGregor, Willow Publishing.

There are you-tube clips of a both a performance and a backing track.

We are having a combined service for the whole parish so I am not required to select songs this year.

My post from last year covers the territory.

The combined service here will use:

Blessings on the King AOV 1/104

Jesus Remember Me AOV 1/152

Unless a Grain of Wheat AOV 1/35

Holy Darkness AOV 2/24

We Remember AOV 1/81